


I Might

by gottalovev



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: First Kiss, Getting Together, M/M, Mending a Broken Heart, Mistletoe, Past Pepper Potts/Tony Stark, Pining, Pre-Relationship, Pre-Slash, Requited Unrequited Love, close call realization, suggested Tony/OFC, tony stark needs a break
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-05
Updated: 2021-01-05
Packaged: 2021-03-10 20:53:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,894
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28143420
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gottalovev/pseuds/gottalovev
Summary: The break-up with Pepper wasn't easy but Tony is honestly enjoying his new freedom. He believes he's done with love for good. It figures that's when he realizes that Steve is interested.
Relationships: Steve Rogers/Tony Stark
Comments: 26
Kudos: 168
Collections: 2020 Captain America/Iron Man Holiday Exchange





	I Might

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Lacerta](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lacerta/gifts).



> Made for the Cap-IM Holiday exchange, and this is a second gift for Lacerta, inspired this time by the song ["I Might"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4POVlrxJ4Y) by Tom Grennan.
> 
> What can I say, good prompts are good prompts! I hope you enjoy :)

The last prototype isn't to Tony's taste, but he knows that continuing to poke at the design won't solve his problem. Not tonight, at least. 

"Save everything, Fri."

"Got it Boss."

Tony is so tired that his eyes are burning, and now that he has shut down for the night he realizes how late—or, actually, how early—it is. Six-thirty in the morning, to be exact. 

His heart starts beating faster because he didn't hear the alarm. Shit. Pepper will be disappointed again.

The thought is there and then gone when Tony remembers that no, Pepper won't care because they broke up. Maybe it's the exhaustion, but he forgot for a second. 

Instead of being sad about it—it's not been easy; he had truly hoped they would work—Tony feels a bone-deep relief. This fresh development deserves a pause: he's actually getting over his heartbreak, then. This is good, very good.

Tony is glad he doesn't have to slink into the penthouse to find Pepper at the kitchen table with her first cup of coffee, bottling up her resentment. Hell, instead of disappointment in him she'll be happy in a couple of days when he brings her a finished project ahead of schedule.

This is for the best. 

And for the first time since they parted ways, Tony actually believes it.

-

Hair rises on Tony's arms as Gandalf guides Shadowfax through Minas Tirith. It always gives him goosebumps, even if he's watched this movie at least twelve times.

"Oh, I love that part!"

Tony cranes his neck back, and sees Steve hovering in between the kitchen and the lounge, eyes glued to the TV. He's probably on his way to the gym.

"Yeah, me too." Tony resettles on his seat. 

It's a surprise when Steve sits on the sofa. The other Avengers never want to re-watch movies they've seen before. After a second of hesitation—he has the perfect amount of butter this time, he skipped lunch, and he'd planned on eating the entire bag—Tony extends his bowl to Steve.

"Popcorn?"

Steve immediately takes him up on his offer and grabs a handful. "Thanks, Tony."

"You're welcome."

"Quiet day?" Steve asks. There's not a hint of judgment in his tone, just honest curiosity. 

It must be a rhetorical question as it's two in the afternoon, on a Tuesday. Tony's still in pajamas, feet up on the coffee table. 

"Yep." He has no one to answer to and is taking advantage of it. A day off just because he feels like it.

For a second he worries that Steve will suggest some activity or other, since they've already watched this movie together a few months back. Perhaps he'll want to train, or go out to eat instead of re-watching The Return of the King.

But Steve doesn't, at least for now. He simply turns towards the television after eating another handful and they watch the movie together in easy companionship.

-

"That's it?" 

Tony tilts his head at his screen, but it's not a mirage. There are no red items on his to do list. Hell, there are no orange ones either.

"You did it, Boss, nothing left on the urgent list."

Tony whistles out slowly. Wow, it's been years since he's been so productive. And it's not because he has less work, though he's getting better at laughing in Fury's face when he asks for the impossible. He still has Stark Industries and the Avengers, as always, so the only difference is certainly the time freed up by not having a personal relationship. Which also comes with, amongst other perks, the freedom to sleep only four hours a night if he wants to, with no consequences other than his own exhaustion.

"Should I recolor the remaining tasks in order of importance?" Friday asks.

It's tempting. He could be _ahead_ of schedule on several projects by the end of the day. But apart from his impromptu Lord of the Rings marathon two weeks back, Tony hasn't really taken any time off in a while. 

"Let's mix it up. What do we have in the 'looks fun, no time' folder?"

"Fan mail had multiple invites from middle school students enrolled in Thomas Jefferson's University Saturday Academy, in Philadelphia. Their science fair is this afternoon." FRIDAY puts the colorful advertisement on the screen, then switches to a slick and polished flyer. "And the Unicef Snowflake Ball, eight-thirty tonight at Cipriani Wall Street. Optional since Ms Romanov and Captain Rogers already confirmed."

He doesn't know if he's in the mood for schmoozing, but eight-thirty is ten hours away. He has time to think about it.

"Philadelphia, you said?" 

Science fairs are the best. 

-

Cherie is forward in a way Tony has always appreciated. Clear signals, fun banter, light touches but not too aggressive. She's a marketing director with tons of entertaining stories, brilliant, and a gorgeous dark-eyed blonde. She's recently separated too and looking for a distraction that Tony is very happy to provide. 

But there is another blond who has been throwing Tony lingering looks ever since he got to the Ball: the one and only Steve Rogers. Tony admits that it has thrown him for a loop. To be honest, at first he assumed Steve had been checking out Cherie (and who wouldn't, she's delightful in her tight red dress). But right now Tony's at the bar to fetch drinks, and Steve keeps on looking at _him_. It makes Tony reevaluate everything he thought he knew. 

"That's an interesting look on your face," Natasha says. She's refueling herself, but seems to be more interested in analyzing her coworkers.

Tony chuckles, gulps down his whiskey in three swallows, then gestures at the bartender to give him more. "Could be."

"Just caught a clue about Steve, did you?" 

He's not surprised she knows; she and Steve are close. Or it's because she's that observant. 

"Yeah. How long?" 

Tony can't believe he missed it. Steve Rogers attracted to men? And interested in him? He didn't get that memo.

Natasha skewers one of the many olives of her Martini with a toothpick. "A year, give or take."

Well, that's another shock. He can't help but to turn around, and Steve, in a small group circling this year's co-chairs, glances towards the bar at the same time. Their eyes meet and Steve immediately smiles, which lights up his face. It's very sweet to feel his regard following something as simple as a brief eye contact. There's a waver in Tony's soul in return that he swiftly tamps down. Tony's own expression must be off because Steve's smile dims and his face morphs into a concerned frown. 

For a second Tony worries Steve will come over to ask what's wrong which wouldn't be good. He isn't ready for what could be a game changer. Tony is just starting to enjoy a simple life, and feelings are complicated. He turns back to tip the barman and grabs his glass and the Cosmo he ordered for Cherie.

"Really?" Natasha asks. She looks flummoxed, which is a first.

"What?" 

"You know Steve is interested, and you do nothing?" She visibly expected that Tony would fall into Steve's arms, delighted at the opportunity. 

Steve's quite a catch, for sure, and Tony's attracted to him. But then again, interest is only part of the equation. Tony's pretty certain that at this very moment, he and Steve would have vastly different expectations if they got together. If Steve's been interested for an entire year, he doesn't just hope to scratch an itch.

"Do I have to?" Tony asks.

"No, of course not," Natasha says. 

"It's not a good idea." He says it with only a slight tinge of regret. Right now Tony only wants to have a little fun. He doesn't want to hurt anyone, especially not Steve. "If you'll excuse me, I have plans to get laid."

It's crass, and he knows it. But it's also honest. He just hopes that Steve isn't too bothered by Tony leaving with someone else; it is not his intention to make him sad or jealous. 

At this moment in time, Tony feels as if all that he can offer is a one-night stand, and he can’t offer that to Steve. So he will take Cherie to a chic hotel, or maybe to her place, and have fun with no promises or expectations on either side. No messing his own bed or the bed of someone he cares about. 

Then he'll go back home, before the sun rises, leaving them both with the memory of an enjoyable moment. Simple, easy, and clean.

-

The entire problem with a Jack in the Box is that once it has popped, it's very difficult to shove it back out of sight again. There's no forgetting or ignoring Steve's interest now. Tony was blind not to realize it before, too. Steve looks at him with such fondness and open affection, ninety percent of the time, that he should have noticed. 

It feels good, that's the thing. As far as Tony knows, Steve doesn't have a lot of experience at relationships. He would probably be a fun and attentive partner, too, and of course he's gorgeous. So even though Tony doesn't pursue Steve, he does nothing to close the door either, which is admittedly selfish. There is a nebulous possibility that is not unpleasant to toy with, and Tony just can’t bring himself to put an end to it entirely. 

They bump against each other one morning, Tony turning the corner to go into the kitchen while Steve is leaving it. It's an actual collision and it feels like bouncing off a rock, but Steve catches Tony's upper arms so he doesn't ricochet into the door frame or the wall.

"Sorry!" Steve exclaims as Tony curses under his breath in surprise. "Are you okay?"

Tony huffs in amusement. "Yeah, I'm fine, just unexpected." He lifts his empty travel mug. "Could have been disastrous, though." He grins, expecting Steve to return his smile. No harm, no foul.

"True," Steve says, then goes stock still while his eyes widen slightly. Tony is about to ask what is wrong as Steve looks up. When Tony does too, he sees the cause: they're under a strand of mistletoe. 

Before Tony can react, Steve leans down and touches their lips together in a careful kiss. It's very sweet, and Steve's face is cautiously hopeful when he pulls back to scan Tony's expression. 

Tony swallows. This is not just a kiss-under-the-mistletoe-for-tradition, it's a declaration of intent.

Tony wants to say that the kiss was nice, because it's also the truth; but he feels it would be cruel to follow it by a somewhat-rejection. So he goes with the harder truth straight away.

"I just got out of a relationship," he says, as gently as he can. 

Steve nods, solemn. "I know."

Fuck, Tony hates this. He doesn't want to give Steve false hope, but this isn't a black or white situation either. "You are a great guy, and I like you a lot. But I am not sure if I want—"

"It's okay," Steve interrupts. If he's hurt, he hides his disappointment well. "I just thought I'd make it clear. If you ever feel like taking me up on the offer…" 

"I can't promise that I will ever be ready." 

The truth is that love has burned Tony one too many times. His new equilibrium came at a price, and he's not sure he wants to shatter this newfound comfort zone.

"Fair enough," Steve says with a small smile. "And even if you eventually _are_ ready, it might not be for _me_ , I get that. But I like you a whole lot, and now you know. I swear I won't make it weird." His mouth contorts in a self-depreciating grimace, the first sign of embarrassment. "Weirder, anyway."

Tony pats his chest in reassurance.

"Not weird. You deserve the best, Steve." Better than a jaded old man, he thinks, that’s for sure. 

"It would be. But just friends is great too, I swear." To Tony's surprise Steve kisses his cheek before he goes on his way, maybe a little faster and stiffer than if they hadn't had this encounter. 

Tony sighs and hopes that they'll navigate the follow-up without problems. 

-

"She says I am the one," he sings at the screwdriver, spins, then does a perfectly timed pelvic thrust. "But the kid is not my son."

DUM-E is in on the party as the music booms in the workshop. Tony grins when he rolls backwards, bopping in time to the beat.

"Oh my god, are you moonwalking?" 

"I believe he is, Boss," FRIDAY says, lowering the volume. 

DUM-E does a nice little spin and trills. 

"That's awesome." Tony extends an arm to brush his knuckles on DUM-E’s strut.

"I recorded it for posterity, alongside your choreography. Should I contact Spike for a spot on Lip Sync Battle?"

Tony throws his head back and laughs. God, he loves his children.

"Nah, it's alright. Though we probably could do an Avengers special for charity or something."

"I'll await your permission, then." The sarcasm in Friday’s tone is almost subtle.

"Don't hold your breath, metaphorically speaking," Tony says, going with the flow. 

He's pretty sure that Clint and Nat would blow everyone's mind on that show, but they don't like the spotlight. Ex-spy reflexes. Bruce would categorically refuse to participate. Thor would love it, though. And, frankly, Steve is a wild card: he'd either want nothing to do with the idea or go all in. Especially if there was a good cause thrown in.

Speaking of Steve, to Tony's deep relief things haven’t become weird or stilted or changed overmuch since the mistletoe incident. They remain the dream team when on missions, complementing each other perfectly, and their banter is healthy and as present as always. Steve is still looking, though, unashamed to let his crush show now, but it's not too much. Tony would be uncomfortable with soulful or sad looks—again he never meant to hurt the guy—but that's not how Steve is acting at all. If anything, he seems happier. Liberated to have spoken his truth, or something like that. 

And that, more than anything, makes Tony pause. Maybe there's more potential in starting something with Steve than he first thought. 

It might be fun to spend his new precious personal time with someone, if it's with Steve. Tony keeps thinking about the man, and how they'd fit. It might be worth changing up his life again, and leaving solitude behind. Steve more than anyone would understand the pitfalls of being and dating a superhero, and he's already aware that Tony is a workaholic. If they set boundaries and talk about expectations… who knows. 

What is for sure is that if Tony opens the door, he has to be certain. Steve deserves an honest and genuine shot, and not just a roll in the hay. 

-

One moment everything is fine, they have the last of the bad guys mostly rounded up and cornered on the roof of a skyscraper on Park Avenue that is thankfully not his own. Then a ray gun hits Steve in the chest and he tumbles off the edge.

Tony's heart falls too, and there's no need for FRIDAY's red alarm, he's already firing his jet boots at full power to dive after Steve. Calculations and probabilities flash before his eyes, but all that he can hear is the rush of blood in his ears. 

This cannot happen. Captain America doesn't die from a B-rated villain's lucky shot, nor from kissing the pavement at 205 miles per hour. Tony cannot and will not lose Steve, and he realizes with a jolt that he wants a second chance. He wants for them to be a team more than just on the field. It can’t be too late.

Thankfully Steve knows how to slow down a descent from his multiple dives without a parachute, and Tony's tech is awesome. Once he reaches him, Tony matches their speed to minimize the impact, then smoothly rolls to slide under Steve's falling form. They're thirty-seven feet from the ground when he locks Iron Man's arms around Steve's torso and then shoots back up. 

They're face to face and Tony is pondering if he should go to the hospital or the Avengers medical bay—Steve got shot in the chest!—when he realizes that Steve is laughing.

"What the hell? You find this funny?"

"I knew you'd catch me," Steve says, eyes dancing. "I'm fine, it's okay."

"Allow me to doubt that. I'm getting you checked out." Tony’s voice is firm and a little annoyed. This isn’t funny!

"Okay," Steve says amiably. "Thank you, Tony."

"Don't mention it. Oh, and after, I'm taking you out. There's a nice little Greek place on 7th Street, you'll love their Pastitsio."

Steve's smile stretches; beautiful, really. "Yeah?"

"As long as you promise not to give me heart attacks like that anymore," Tony replies.

"I'll be careful with your heart," Steve says earnestly. "I swear." 

Okay, so they're doing this. Tony takes a deep breath. He’s aware that he might never walk away, and could change everything just to keep Steve close.

He has a feeling it will be worth it. 

It might be everything he needs.

**Author's Note:**

> Look, the song ["I Might"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4POVlrxJ4Y) by Tom Grennan would absolutely not leave me alone until I finally made a story for it. Thank you for making me discover this new artist, Lacerta! I hope you feel I did it justice. Happy Holidays! (I even put mistletoe in this one!)
> 
> Much thanks to Ivorysilk for the beta, you really helped me a lot, and I appreciate it (and you) so much.
> 
> Also, allow me a shootout to the mods for this always amazing event. ♥
> 
> Happy Holidays everyone!


End file.
